Luke 1:32
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Original Language Analysis
οὗτος
He
G3778
οὗτος
He
Strong's:
G3778
Word #:
1 of 19
the he (she or it), i.e., this or that (often with article repeated)
μέγας
great
G3173
μέγας
great
Strong's:
G3173
Word #:
3 of 19
big (literally or figuratively, in a very wide application)
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
4 of 19
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
υἱὸς
the Son
G5207
υἱὸς
the Son
Strong's:
G5207
Word #:
5 of 19
a "son" (sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship
ὑψίστου
of the Highest
G5310
ὑψίστου
of the Highest
Strong's:
G5310
Word #:
6 of 19
highest, i.e., (masculine singular) the supreme (god), or (neuter plural) the heavens
κληθήσεται
shall be called
G2564
κληθήσεται
shall be called
Strong's:
G2564
Word #:
7 of 19
to "call" (properly, aloud, but used in a variety of applications, directly or otherwise)
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
8 of 19
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
δώσει
shall give
G1325
δώσει
shall give
Strong's:
G1325
Word #:
9 of 19
to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection)
αὐτοῦ
of his
G846
αὐτοῦ
of his
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
10 of 19
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
κύριος
the Lord
G2962
κύριος
the Lord
Strong's:
G2962
Word #:
11 of 19
supreme in authority, i.e., (as noun) controller; by implication, master (as a respectful title)
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
12 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
θεὸς
God
G2316
θεὸς
God
Strong's:
G2316
Word #:
13 of 19
a deity, especially (with g3588) the supreme divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; exceedingly (by hebraism)
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
14 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
θρόνον
the throne
G2362
θρόνον
the throne
Strong's:
G2362
Word #:
15 of 19
a stately seat ("throne"); by implication, power or (concretely) a potentate
τοῦ
G3588
τοῦ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
17 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Cross References
Isaiah 16:5And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.Luke 1:35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.Psalms 132:11The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.Mark 5:7And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.Revelation 3:7And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;Matthew 28:18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.Luke 1:76And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;Acts 2:30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;Romans 1:4And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:2 Samuel 7:16And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
Historical Context
First-century Jewish messianic hope centered on a Davidic king who would restore Israel's political sovereignty. The Psalms of Solomon (circa 50 BC) describe expected military victory over Gentile oppressors. Gabriel's announcement uses traditional messianic language but hints at a deeper reality—a spiritual kingdom transcending ethnic and temporal boundaries. Mary would later ponder how her son could be both suffering servant and eternal king.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Jesus fulfill the Davidic covenant in ways that transcend first-century political expectations?
- What does the eternal nature of Christ's kingdom mean for how we understand our citizenship and priorities as Christians?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Gabriel's prophecy contains four key messianic identifiers:
The phrase 'of his kingdom there shall be no end' (τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔσται τέλος) directly echoes Daniel 7:14's prophecy of the Son of Man's everlasting dominion. This verse establishes Jesus as the promised Davidic Messiah while simultaneously transcending purely political messianic expectations.